ECPAT’s Executive Director, ECPAT’s Deputy Director of Programmes and the Executive Director of ECPAT Luxembourg carried out joint mission to Kathmandu, Nepal from 6-10 July. The team visited senior management of ECPAT affiliate member organisations, CWIN Nepal and Maiti Nepal and met with partner agencies at both the regional and national level. Discussions on the situation of CSEC and country manifestations, along with priorities and strategies for the way forward were held with representatives from ECPAT groups, Save the Children, Terre des Homes and UNICEF Nepal.
ECPAT also visited the Regional Secretariat to meet with Dr. Rinchen Chopel, the Director General of the South Asia Initiative for Ending Violence against Children (SAIEVAC) the Apex Body of South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The Director General commended the role of ECPAT in establishing the Regional Apex body in the region solely dedicated to ending violence against children and emphasised the need to prioritise and scale up efforts against child sexual exploitation and abuse in the region.
During the mission, ECPAT's team participated in the two day meeting of the South Asia Coordinating Group on Violence against Children (SACG) which was focused on planning for the Regional Consultation on Harmful Traditional Practices for Children hosted by the Government of Bhutan towards end of September.